Recall of a Municipal Elected Official
In 2023, Albertans gained the power to use a petition to recall a municipal elected official. This power is authorized through Part 7.1 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA). Alberta also has a Recall Act, but those laws only apply to the recall of a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
Background
The current MGA requires signatures from 40% of a municipality’s population to recall a member of council. Between 2023 and 2024, recall petitions were launched in nine communities targeting 14 municipal elected officials. One petition was successful. In early 2025, the Government of Alberta communicated its plans to review the rules to recall a municipal elected official.
Recommendations to Improve Recall of a Municipal Elected Official
ABmunis has collected input from our member municipalities through numerous meetings and events since 2024. That input has led us to develop 16 recommendations on how to improve municipal recall. Our recommendations cover a range of issues, including a need to:
- Change the signature requirements.
- Switch to an independent body to manage municipal recall petitions, similar to the recall of MLAs.
- Improve transparency for the public and requirements for petition organizers.
- Add rules for advertising, fundraising, and financial disclosure.
- Prevent unreasonable petitions.
For the full list of ABmunis’ recommendations and explanations, refer to our June 2025 report, Recommendations on Recall of a Municipal Elected Official.